Increasing Efficiency and Carbon Emissions Reductions as a way to reduce Aviation’s climate impact over the long term.

 

The International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA) and the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) members are committed to advancements in all fields including aerodynamics, propulsion, aircraft systems and Structures technologies, Aircraft manufacturing technologies and all types of potential energies (sustainable aviation fuels, electricity and hydrogen). Aircraft technologies are focused on increased efficiency and carbon emissions reductions as a way to reduce aviation’s climate impact over the long term. In the short term, Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) have a greater role in decarbonisation than other mitigation measures as these “drop in” fuels will reduce carbon emissions from thousands of aircraft already flying. In 2021, the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) released the second edition of its Waypoint 2050 report. This report highlighted the commitment of its members to net zero carbon emissions operations by 2050. Business aviation, represented by IBAC, General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) , National Business Aviation Administration (NBAA) and their global members, likewise committed to decarbonisation by 2050 via the Business Aviation Commitment on ClimateChange (BACCC). In addition to demonstrating industry’s broad commitment to net zero carbon by 2050, both documents provide a credible roadmap towards reaching this target. Both reports follow a structure similar to that provided here, with high level technology categories, SAF, and alternate energy sources showing the improvement possible by 2050. The shape of aviation’s decarbonisation curve is shown in Figure 1. With aircraft service lives measured in decades, and SAF blends applicable to the entire fleet, increasing the use of SAF is our priority. 

The urgency to introduce advanced carbon-reduction technologies to new aircraft and engines is simultaneously high. In 2019, ICCAIA and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) shared a technology perspective5 for 2014 to 2019 by showcasing technology advancements on newly introduced and updated commercial aircraft. These aircraft are currently in service and providing substantial reductions in fuel burn relative to the previous generation of airliners. Expanded use of these aircraft continues to reduce the rate of emissions per revenue passenger kilometer (RPK). In the Business Aircraft and Regional Aircraft markets, a host of new technologies were also introduced in this period on new, more efficient aircraft. In addition, expansion of SAF use and market-based programs like the Carbon Off-setting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and Book and Claim programs for maximizing efficiency of SAF distribution are already helping accelerate progress to net zero emissions. We continue to benefit from national and international research programs, with cooperation between industry, governments and academia essential to rapidly mature Advanced carbon reduction technologies and newgenerations of aircraft. We have seen, for example, prototyping with smaller aircraft used in the development and testing of technology demonstrators with Hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen propulsion, Advanced battery technology, more Electric or Electric hybrid propulsion, and aircraft systems technologies. Engineers in these collaborative environments will leverage cooperation to advance development, testing, and demonstration of readiness of new technologies to speed the years-long development process for new airplanes without sacrificing safety or reliability.

Important guidance for this effort is provided in the latest revision of SAE document ARP 475 (Guidelines for Development of Civil Aircraft and Systems) and ARP 476124 (Guidelines and Methods for Conducting the Safety Assessment Process on Civil Airborne Systems and Equipment).